Fused contactor



7, 1968 F. "r. MARRICZHI ET AL FUSED GONTACTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, 1965 INVENTORS United States Patent 3,382,467 FUSED CONTACTOR Frank T. Marrichi, Baltimore, and Robert I. Bowie, Sykesville, Md., assignors to The Rowan Controller Company, Westminster, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 480,345 1 Claim. (Cl. 335--142) This invention relates to a construction of magnetically actuated electric power contactors or relays in which a plastic contact cover is made to be the insulating support chassis and voltage barrier for fuse clips and fuses for protecting the electric circuits connected to these contactors. This novel construction has the utility of saving space, materials, and labor, while at the same time pro viding a logical electrical package in which the protective and control functions are combined in a single unit.

In the preferred form of this protective controller, the contactor is used to control polyphase alternating current, and the contactor consists of a plurality of parallel magnetically actuated bridging bars, one for each phase. The bridging or shorting bars have semi-precious metal contacts at each end and are secured at their middle by a spring suspension to a first moulded insulating guide chassis which moves integrally with a spring loaded magnetic armature.

When the armature is actuated it carries the contacts of the shorting bars into contact with corresponding semiprecious metal contacts of an input bus at one end and an output bus at the other end. The electrical busses and shorting bars for each phase are each enclosed on three sides by a moulded insulating trough, each parallel trough being part of a second unitary insulating moulding secured to the chassis of the contactor.

The present invention uses a third unitary insulating moulding to form both the cover of the foregoing troughs in the second moulding and the insulated chassis support and voltage barrier for a plurality of cylindrical cartridge type fuses located above and parallel to each phase trough. Spring clips are provided at each end of the foregoing fuses, and the metal securing screws of one end of these clips pass downward into engagement with the output contact busses, thereby automatically completing a portion of the required circuitry.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a unitary fuse and contactor structure which is inexpensive, and which requires a minimum of installation labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fused contactor structure in which the fuse supports are an integral part of the contactor.

For other objects and a more complete understanding of the invention reference is made to the following detailed specification to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is the side view in elevation of the preferred form of the invention in which the protective contactor is designed for three phase operation;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view through plane 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan sectional view through plane 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view through plane 44 of FIG. 1;

3,382,467 Patented May 7, 1968 FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view through plane 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a view through plane 66 of FIG. 4 showing the integrally moulded fuse barriers.

Referring to the drawings, the contactor is provided with a metal frame 20 to which is secured a moulded insulating contact chassis 21. A stack of E shaped laminations 22 form the stationary part of the magnetic circuit and is secured to the frame 20. A coil 23, also secured to frame 20, is provided to energize the magnetic circuit including stationary lamination 22 and the E shaped moveable armature stack of laminations 24. Coil 23 is provided with terminals 48. A bail 25 is pivotally secured to frame 20, and by means of a pair of springs 26 is caused to exert a spring bias on armature 24 tending to lift it away from stationary lamination 22 and coil 23. Armature 24 is secured to a moulded insulating shorting bar frame 27 which is guided for linear motion by appropriate apertures in the moulded insulating contact chassis 21.

Three shorting bars 28 are provided at each end with semi-precious metal contact buttons 29 and are each resiliently secured to the shorting bar frame 27 by means of screws 30, springs 31, guide key 32 and keeper washers 33. Cooperating with each shorting bar 28 is an input bus 34 having semi-precious contact button 35 and .and output bus 36 having similar contact button 37. Bus members 34 and 36 are secured to contact chassis 21 which is provided with three troughs each of which embrace an input bus 34, and an output bus 36, and a shorting bar 28. Bosses 34 and 36 are secured to chassis 21 by means of screws 50.

An insulating moulded fuse frame 38 is provided to form a cover for the contactor troughs of contact chassis 21 and to form a barriered support for the three cartridge type replaceable fuses 47. Frame 38 is secured to chassis 21 by screws 49.

Three spring metal input fuse clips 39 are provided, each adapted to embrace and retain one end of a fuse 47. Each clip 39 is electrically connected to an mechanially spaced from and secured to a corresponding output bus 36 by means of a metal tubular sleeve 40 through which a coaxial screw 41 passes into threaded engagement with an output bus 36.

The opposite end of each fuse 47 is embraced by an output spring metal fuse clip 42, each of which is secured to fuse frame 38 by means of a screw 51. It is understood that whereever screws are used for securance to a moulded insulating plastic, threaded metal inserts may be used to strengthen the securance.

Moulded integrally with fuse frame 38 is a first set of barriers 43 separating the input fuse clips 39, and also a second set of barriers 44 separating the output fuse clips 42.

The input busses 34 are each provided with a terminal clamp 45 for securing the line wires for each phase, and, similarly the output fuse clips 42 are also provided with output terminal clamps 46 for connecting to the load wires.

What is claimed is:

1. A fused contactor comprising:

a housing having an opening in the upper end thereof;

first and second spaced selectively connectable conductive contacts mounted in said housing directly beneath said opening;

an insulativeframe mounted on the upper housing for closing said opening, and thereby more fully enclosing said contacts;

first and second spaced fuse clips mounted on said frame directly overlying said first and second contacts, respectively; a

a conductive fastener mechanically and electrically interconnecting one of said clips and its associated underlying contact; and

first and second aligned connectors located exteriorly of said housing and coupled to said other of said clip and associated underlying contact, respectively, for enabling external circuit connections to be made end of said point.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primmy Examiner.

R. N. ENYALL, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FUSED CONTACTOR COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING IN THE UPPER END THEREOF; FIRST AND SECOND SPACED SELECTIVELY CONNECTABLE CONDUCTIVE CONTACTS MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING DIRECTLY BENEATH SAID OPENING; AN INSULATIVE FRAME MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID HOUSING FOR CLOSING SAID OPENING, AND THEREBY MORE FULLY ENCLOSING SAID CONTACTS; FIRST AND SECOND SPACED FUSE CLIPS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME DIRECTLY OVERLYING SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTACTS, RESPECTIVELY; A CONDUCTIVE FASTENER MECHANICALLY AND ELECTRICALLY INTERCONNECTING ONE OF SAID CLIPS AND ITS ASSOCIATED UNDERLYING CONTACT; AND FIRST AND SECOND ALIGNED CONNECTORS LOCATED EXTERIORLY OF SAID HOUSING AND COUPLED TO SAID OTHER OF SAID CLIP AND ASSOCIATED UNDERLYING CONTACT, RESPECTIVELY, FOR ENABLING EXTERNAL CIRCUIT CONNECTIONS TO BE MADE TO SAID FUSED CONTACTOR AT APPROXIMATELY A COMMON POINT. 